# the best cleaning fluid



## wrapper23 (Mar 17, 2009)

I can't use rum, whiskey, everclear and such because I would probably drink them up. And I can't drink for health reasons. I hope you get the point.

DubintheDam mentions CocaCola which I'm considering. He also mentions non-denatured alcohol which I can't find. It's all isopropyl or ethyl in the stores.

So what is the best pipe cleaning fluid I can buy online?


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

wish i knew, good luck!


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## bfox (Oct 7, 2009)

How about Bee Pipe Cleaner ? Was going to just ask the same question .
I am new to pipe smoking .
Went to the liquor store today and they can not sell Everclear anymore .
They had airline bottles of Rum so thought I would try that . Would like to try the Coke also .


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## Hermit (Aug 5, 2008)

I would think Coke would be sticky and awful.
I'd go with the Bee pipe sweetner if
ya don't wanna be tempted to driink it.


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## DubintheDam (Jun 5, 2007)

Wrapper, I know what you mean, I don't like to keep a large bottle of whiskey in the house cause I love the stuff so much a bottle would last me about a week, so I buy those small mini-bottles.

I just placed an order at 4 noggins for these two alternatives, thought I'd give them both a try, they seem to get very good reviews.

DENICLEAN TOBACCO PIPE LIQUID CLEANER - eBay (item 220421311553 end time Oct-21-09 18:54:41 PDT)

ARANGO PIPE SPRAY - eBay (item 220357540016 end time Nov-03-09 15:11:38 PST)


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## wharfrathoss (Dec 27, 2006)

i just use isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. i don't drink either & don't keep alcohol in the house.


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## Mitch (Oct 2, 2009)

Just buy one shot of alcohol to clean your pipe. You can get the size at the liquor store.


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## bfox (Oct 7, 2009)

I bought a tiny bottle at the liquor store .
Told the guy what I wanted it for .
Picked up a bottle of Captain Morgans spiced Rum for $2 he said put it back take Trader Vicks it will do the same thing for $1 !

Only just tried it so far so good .
And I like the suggestion from someone about cleaning the stem with a Mr. Clean amazing sponge .


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

91% rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol does fine.


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## seedubs1 (Dec 9, 2008)

I like the brebbia stuff.


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

Hermit said:


> I would think Coke would be sticky and awful.
> I'd go with the Bee pipe sweetner if
> ya don't wanna be tempted to driink it.





wharfrathoss said:


> i just use isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. i don't drink either & don't keep alcohol in the house.


Me too


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

DubintheDam said:


> I just placed an order at 4 noggins for these two alternatives, thought I'd give them both a try, they seem to get very good reviews.
> 
> DENICLEAN TOBACCO PIPE LIQUID CLEANER - eBay (item 220421311553 end time Oct-21-09 18:54:41 PDT)
> 
> ARANGO PIPE SPRAY - eBay (item 220357540016 end time Nov-03-09 15:11:38 PST)


I hope you'll let us know how these work out!


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Everclear is what I use - and I am NEVER tempted to drink the stuff! I enjoy life too much!


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

i use everclear too!
you learn not to drink it real quick!


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## Habanolover (Feb 22, 2006)

I am assuming I could use moonshine when the time comes for me to do some cleaning?


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

yes sir, i use it too!
actually thats what i use i just tell everybody everclear. usually when you mention shine everybody comes out of the woodwork asking for some.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

dmkerr said:


> Everclear is what I use - and I am NEVER tempted to drink the stuff! I enjoy life too much!


Same here, but then alcohol was never my, to use the vernacular, "drug of choice"...


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## Z.Kramer (Jul 2, 2009)

I use the 91% isopropyl alcohol as well. You have to be very careful with it though because it really messes up finishes on some pipes as sonn as a drop hits the outside of the bowl.

Of course, one of the reasons I don't use spirits is because I cannot buy alcohol for another five months.


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## mrsmitty (Jan 22, 2009)

Can you use beer lol. Thats the only thing I have around the house alcohol wise.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Only if you want a wet pipe that's about as dirty as when you started. Might as well soak it in water. Particularly if it's mainstream American beer...


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## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

Simple rubbing alcohol will do fine. Wait at least an hour before lighting up to allow full evaporation. 

DO NOT CONSIDER DRINKING THE STUFF, AS IT CAUSES PERMANENT VISION DAMAGE/BLINDNESS.

Please note that it will dissolve wax and shellac finishes.

As an alternative that won't harm ANY finish, you may consider using low odor lighter fluid (naptha) it doesn't evaporate as quickly, has powerful cleaning properties regarding oil based ****, and leaves no residue of it's own. the down side is that you have to wait at least overnight, if not a day or 2 for evaporation, or unpleasant taste will follow!


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## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

As a side note, Everclear is the purest form of grain alcohol that can be bought as a without a permit. It is far less toxic than wood alcohol and is used by those who engage in fine woodworking as the base for handmade shellac.


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## mrsmitty (Jan 22, 2009)

I did find a bottle of caption Morgan so I ended up using that.


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## bfox (Oct 7, 2009)

In Pennsylvania Everclear is illegal .
Someone said because a few College kids died drinking it .


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## juni (Oct 16, 2009)

I use a few drops of this:










...seems to do the job.


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## robofan (Jun 7, 2008)

If you can't be around any alcohol at all then send it out to a professional pipe cleaner. Explain your situation to them and perhaps they will give you a break on the price.


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

91% rubbing alcohol costs like $1.50 at cvs, and is fairly useful to have around anyway...


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## IHT (Dec 27, 2003)

i use isopropyl alcohol like others do, but i am going to be switching to using "this" with my next order.








i had asked on another board what it is that some refurbishers clean their pipes with that makes them taste so good for so long... i got that link as the answer. then a buddy brought some to a herf so i could smell it and confirm that's what it is... and it is.
i'm going to clean every damn pipe i own with that stuff, whether it needs a cleaning or not.


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## mrsmitty (Jan 22, 2009)

IHT said:


> i use isopropyl alcohol like others do, but i am going to be switching to using "this" with my next order.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing this I'll haft to add that to my next order.


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## IHT (Dec 27, 2003)

bfox said:


> In Pennsylvania Everclear is illegal .


for some reason, that reminded me of a bad Yakov Smirnoff joke.

_In Pennsylvania, everclear is illegal.
In Soviet Russia, not buying everclear is illegal. _

or something really bad like that (only it use to be reversed, where the _freedom_ to do things was in America). :der:


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

IHT said:


> for some reason, that reminded me of a bad Yakov Smirnoff joke.
> 
> _In Pennsylvania, everclear is illegal._
> _In Soviet Russia, not buying everclear is illegal. _
> ...


I saw on a documentary a few months back that in parts of Mother Russia the average male life expectancy is 39 due to alcoholism and some of the substitutes they use when the real stuff runs out.

I like to use Bacardi Rum


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